Felicia Persuad (chairwoman of CaribID 2010, a New York-based campaign to get a category on the census form for Caribbean-Americans or West Indian) recently wrote an editorial piece about Caribbeans be accounted for on the U.S. 2010 Census. For years most Caribbean-Americans of Non-Hispanic decent have been lumped into the “Black” category and thus have never been truly accounted for.
“We are completely undercounted because there isn’t an accurate way of self-identifying for people from the Caribbean,” said Felicia Persaud, chairwoman of CaribID 2010, a New York-based campaign to get a category on the census form for Caribbean-Americans or West Indians.
About 2.4 percent of the U.S. population — more than 6.8 million people — identified on the 2000 Census as belonging to two or more races. A little less than 1 percent of the population — more than 1.8 million people — wrote in their West Indian ancestry.
And about 874,000 people — or 0.3 percent of the population — ticked boxes for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders that year. If those islanders could get their own categories on the form, Caribbean-American leaders say, why not their communities? (Read Entire Article)
If we are not accounted for, how can we get the resources we need? There is strength in our numbers, just look at the number Caribbean-American owned businesses based in the U.S., yet there are no official statistics of Caribbean-Americans. Many leaders of the community are urging everyone to complete the census. Persuad and others are urging people to complete the census, but also check the “other” box and define your ethnic background.
Mikelah
Mikelah is a Caribbean Culture expert, curating the bridge between the Caribbean and its diaspora. A CUNY Baruch College graduate with a BBA in Marketing. With previous experience with Caribbean lifestyle brands such as VP Records, Tempo TV and JAMROCK Magazine. Currently serving as a digital marketing maven by day, while continuing to collaborate with Caribbean brands.
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